Cooling container assembly

ABSTRACT

A passive cooling container assembly for keeping food cool is disclosed. The assembly comprises an outer, thermally-insulating shell and an inner, thermally-conductive shell nested into and possibly affixed to the outer shell. The inner shell has a recessed volume at a bottom of the inner shell. A removable cold disk is provided and is configured to rest within the recessed volume of the inner shell. The cold disk comprises a material which may be thermally cooled and permanently encapsulated within a casing. The cooling container assembly also includes a removable food container capable of being nested into the inner shell. Optionally, a removable lid is also provided which fits onto the food container.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS/INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This U.S. patent application claims priority to and the benefit ofProvisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/725,463 filed on Oct.11, 2005, and Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/760,487filed on Jan. 20, 2006.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to coolingcontainers. More particularly, certain embodiments of the presentinvention relate to a nested, passive cooling container assembly whichuses a cold disk for keeping food cool within the container assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of food containers exist which attempt to keep food cooland/or warm in various ways. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,757describes a portable food refrigeration system. The system includes anouter pan constructed from a rigid insulating material and including atleast one handle secured to the upper exterior portion. The system alsoincludes a gel pack removably positioned on the interior bottom surfaceand which is freezable. The system further includes an inner pan formedto a shape similar to the outer pan for retaining food an including atleast one handle secured to the upper exterior portion. The inner pan isslidably positionable within the interior of the outer pan to produce anested relationship between the inner and outer pans. One of the panshas a sealing protrusion located substantially adjacent to and along theupper edge of the one pan. The other pan has a sealing groove locatedsubstantially adjacent to and along the upper edge of the other pan suchthat, when the pans are placed in a nested relationship, the sealinggroove and the sealing protrusion are moved into a mated condition. Themated condition of the sealing protrusion and the sealing groove forms asubstantially air tight barrier and resists movement of the inner panout of the nested relationship with the outer pan.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,946 describes a food container including a bowlhaving a double-wall structure, including an interior wall made of metalmaterial and an exterior wall made of plastic material. The interiorwall defines an interior chamber and has a bottom wall portion and asidewall portion. The sidewall portion is integrally formed with andextends upwardly from the bottom wall portion and has a tapered upperlip. The exterior wall has a bottom wall portion and a sidewall portion.The sidewall portion is integrally formed with and extends upward fromthe bottom wall portion and has an upper rim. The exterior and interiorwalls are positioned substantially parallel to each other and are spacedapart. The tapered upper lip of the interior wall is air-tightlyconnected to the upper rim of the exterior wall, thereby forming a topedge of the bowl and a sealed chamber between the interior and exteriorwalls. A lid is sized to span the top edge of the bowl for covering theinterior chamber of the bowl. The lid has a double-wall structureincluding a bottom wall made of metal material and a top wall made ofplastic material. The top and bottom walls of the lid each have acircumferential edge. The top and bottom walls are positioned in asubstantially parallel and spaced apart relationship. Thecircumferential edge of the top wall is air-tightly connected to thecircumferential edge of the bottom wall, thereby forming a sealedchamber between the top and bottom walls. The interior wall of the bowland the bottom wall of the lid are polished for substantially reducingand preventing heat radiation. The sealed chamber of the bowl and thesealed chamber of the lid substantially reduce and prevent heatconduction. The tapered upper lip of the interior wall of the bowlsubstantially reduces and prevents heat convection. The container isable to keep food warm for an extended period of time.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,970 describes a plate comprising a substantiallycurved surface having a recess formed in the center of the surface. Areusable cold disk is provided in the recess. A removable cover is alsoprovided to form an empty space between the cover made of a cylindricalmain body with a closed top and an open bottom, and the surface of theplate. The top of the cover is provided with a depression in which areusable cold disk is placed.

U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35,437 describes a container for milk and cerealcomprising a milk reservoir having an opening and a resealablefluid-tight cap means removably secured over the opening. There is atleast one freeze pack adjacent to the milk reservoir and filled with afreezable substance, and a cereal compartment adjacent to the milkreservoir and having an opening and a cover removably secured over thecereal compartment opening. At least one valve is interposed between themilk reservoir and the cereal compartment. The valve has a closedpositioned for keeping the milk and cereal separate and an open positionfor allowing the milk to enter the cereal compartment.

Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional, traditional, andproposed approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art,through comparison of such systems and methods with the presentinvention as set forth in the remainder of the present application withreference to the drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention comprises a cooling containerassembly. The cooling container assembly includes a thermally-insulatingouter shell and a thermally-conductive inner shell configured to nestwithin the outer shell. The inner shell has a recessed volume at abottom portion of the inner shell. The cooling container assemblyfurther includes a removable cold disk configured to rest within therecessed volume of the inner shell. The cold disk comprises a chillable,freezable, or activatable material. The cooling container assembly alsoincludes a removable food container configured to nest within the innershell.

Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a method ofassembling a cooling container. The method includes nesting athermally-conductive inner shell into a thermally-insulating outershell. The method further includes placing a removable cold disk into arecessed volume at a bottom portion of the inner shell. The method alsoincludes nesting a removable food container into the inner shell overthe cold disk.

A further embodiment of the present invention comprises a method ofkeeping food cool. The method includes chilling, freezing, or activatinga removable cold disk. The method further includes placing the food intoa removable food container and chilling the food in the removable foodcontainer. The method also includes placing the cold disk into arecessed volume at a bottom portion of a thermally-conductive innershell that is nested into a thermally-insulating outer shell. The methodfurther includes nesting the chilled food container, containing thechilled food, into the inner shell.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention comprises a coolingcontainer assembly including an outer, thermally-insulating shell and athermally-conductive inner shell which is nested into and affixed to theouter shell. The inner shell has a recessed volume at a bottom of theshell. A removable cold disk is configured to rest, unattached, withinthe recessed volume of the inner shell. The cold disk comprises amaterial, capable of being chilled, frozen, or activated, which ispermanently encapsulated within a casing made of, for example, metal orplastic. The assembly also comprises a removable food container capableof being nested into the inner shell without forming an air-tight sealor a liquid-tight seal between the food container and the inner shell. Aremovable lid which fits onto the food container is also optionallyprovided. The lid is not a double-walled structure with an insulatingair gap or vacuum gap in between.

These and other advantages and novel features of the present invention,as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof, will be morefully understood from the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates three exemplary embodiments of a cooling containerassembly, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates the nested configuration of the first exemplaryembodiment of a cooling container of FIG. 1, in accordance with variousaspects of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates certain features of the first embodiment of FIG. 2,in accordance with various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates several exemplary lidded configurations of the firstembodiment of FIG. 2, in accordance with various aspects of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the nested configuration of the second exemplaryembodiment of a cooling container of FIG. 1, in accordance with variousaspects of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary un-lidded configuration and twoexemplary lidded configurations of the second embodiment of FIG. 5, inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates the nested configuration of the third exemplaryembodiment of a cooling container of FIG. 1, in accordance with variousaspects of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary un-lidded configuration and an exemplarylidded configuration of the third embodiment of FIG. 7, in accordancewith various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method of assembling any ofthe various cooling container assembly embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-8,in accordance with various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method of keeping foodcool using any of the various cooling container assembly embodimentsshown in FIGS. 1-8, in accordance with various aspects of the presentinvention.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary graph illustrating the cold-preservingcapability of the embodiment of FIG. 5 without a lid, in accordance withvarious aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary graph of FIG. 11 with the additionalcold-preserving capability shown when a lid is provided, in accordancewith various aspects of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates three exemplary embodiments of a cooling containerassembly, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. Afirst embodiment 100 is configured as a deep bowl. A second embodiment200 is configured as a shallow dish or platter, and a third embodiment300 is configured as a sectioned dish or platter. The bowl 100 may beused, for example, for keeping potato salad cool. The platter 200 may beused, for example, for keeping applesauce cool. The sectioned platter300 may be used, for example, for keeping a variety of cut vegetablescool and separated. All three cooling container assembly embodiments arevery similar in construction as will be described herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates the nested configuration of the first exemplaryembodiment 100 of a cooling container assembly of FIG. 1, in accordancewith various aspects of the present invention. The assembly 100 includesa thermally-insulating outer shell 110 and a thermally-conductive innershell 120 nested into and permanently or removably attached to the outershell 110. As used herein, the phrase “nested into” means “put snuglytogether inside of”. As used herein, the term “thermally-insulating”means “substantially preventing the conduction of thermal energy”. Asused herein, the term “thermally-conductive” means “substantiallyfacilitating the conduction of thermal energy”. Therefore, thethermally-insulating outer shell is an outer shell that substantiallyprevents the conduction of thermal energy therethrough, and thethermally-conductive inner shell is an inner shell that substantiallyfacilitates the conduction of thermal energy therethrough.

Permanent attachment of the inner shell 120 to the outer shell 110 maybe accomplished by means of an adhesive, for example, or some otherpermanent fastening means. Removably attached, as used herein, may meanthat the inner shell 120 is simply resting within the outer shell 110due to the force of gravity. Alternatively, removably attached may meanthat there is a means for fastening the inner shell 120 within the outershell 110 such that the inner shell 120 may be easily de-fastened fromthe outer shell 110 (e.g., via a snap-on means).

There may be at least one layer or volume of air (or some other gas),for example, between at least a portion of the inner shell 120 and atleast a portion of the outer shell 110 for insulating purposes.Alternatively, there may be at least one vacuum gap between at least aportion of the inner shell 120 and at least a portion of the outer shell110 for insulating purposes. Some other insulating material (e.g., aninsulating foam material) may be configured between the outer shell 110and the inner shell 120 instead, in accordance with an alternativeembodiment of the present invention. The outer shell 110 may comprise athermally-insulating plastic material, for example, and the inner shell120 may comprise a thermally-conductive metal such as aluminum, forexample. The outer shell 110 may be at least partially transparent ormay be opaque, having at least one color, for example.

The inner shell 120 includes a recessed volume 125 (see FIG. 3)configured to accept a chilled or a frozen cold disk 130. The recessedvolume is substantially centered within the bottom of the inner shell120, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The colddisk 130 may comprise, for example, frozen water permanentlyencapsulated in a disk-shaped plastic, a soft gel pack permanentlyfitted into an aluminum material casing, for example, or any liquid(e.g., an alcohol-based liquid), solid, or semi-solid material that maybe chilled, frozen, or activated to cool down. In accordance with analternative embodiment of the present invention, the cold disk 130 doesnot include any encapsulating casing but, instead, comprises only thechillable, freezable, or activatable material (e.g., ice formed in anice tray which is substantially in the shape of the recessed volume).

Even though the term disk is used herein, the shape of the cold disk 130may be any convenient shape for fitting into the recessed volume 125 ofthe inner shell 120. The cold disk 130 fits into and rests within therecessed volume 125 such that the cold disk 130 makesthermally-conductive contact with the inner shell 120. As a result, coldis conducted up the walls of the metal (e.g., aluminum) inner shell 120.The cold disk 130 is easily removable from the inner shell 120 either bytipping the inner shell 120 (and connected outer shell 110) upside down,or by using ones fingers to insert into notches in the sides or top ofthe cold disk 130 and pulling the cold disk out of the recessed volume.As an alternative, the notches may be in the inner shell 120 adjacent tothe cold disk 130. As a result, the cold disk 130 may be removed fromthe assembly 100 and placed in, for example, a freezer for freezing.Alternatively, the cold disk may comprise a disposable chemical packthat, when activated, cools down. The disposable chemical pack is aconsumable product that may be thrown away once the pack has beenexhausted.

Chemical packs may be activated in various ways. For example, somechemical packs are activated by shaking or squeezing. Other chemicalpacks are activated by allowing oxygen to react with the chemicalsubstance within the pack. A chemical reaction allows heat to beabsorbed, resulting in cooling.

The assembly 100 further includes a removable inner bowl or foodcontainer 140 made out of, for example, a stainless steel material forholding food. The bowl 140 is configured to fit into the inner shell 120in a nested manner without forming a seal between the bowl 140 and theinner shell 120. As a result, the food is kept cool by at least thethermally conductive inner shell 120 which is in thermal contact withthe cold disk 130. It is desirable to cool the food to a desiredtemperature (e.g., in a refrigerator) before placing the food in theassembly 100. The desired temperature may be a temperature at which thefood is to be served, or may be a temperature cooler than that.

As an option, the assembly 100 further includes a removable lid (e.g., aplastic lid) 150 which fits over top of the bowl 140 and may be snappedonto the bowl 140. The lid may be a thermally-insulating lid. However,the lid may not be a double-walled structure with an insulating air-gapor vacuum gap in between. Instead, the lid may be a single, solidthermally-insulating material (e.g., plastic), in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. The overall dimensions of thecontainer assembly 100 may range from being very deep and bowl-shaped tobeing very flat and shallow, such as described in the second and thirdembodiments herein. In general, any shape may be accommodated (e.g.,round and deep, or rectangular and flat).

In a typical configuration, the removable food container 140 includes arim 145 circumscribing an upper edge of the food container 140. The lid150 is capable of being snapped onto the rim 145 to enclose any foodwhich is placed within the food container 140. In accordance with anembodiment of the present invention, the lid 150 is at least partiallytransparent in order to see any food inside the food container 140. Inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the lid 150is opaque.

Therefore, in accordance with various embodiments of the presentinvention, the nested configuration 100 with the cold disk 130 providesan environment in which food may stay cold longer. The assembly 100 is apassive cooling container assembly. That is, there are no activecomponents requiring power to keep the food cool. The cold disk, theinsulating materials, and the thermally conductive materials in thenested configuration provide the ability to keep the food cool for alonger period of time.

FIG. 3 illustrates certain features of the first embodiment 100 of FIG.2, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. As canbe seen in FIG. 3, the cold disk 130 may be removed from the recessedvolume 125 of the inner shell 120. Also, the food container 140 may beremoved from the inner shell 120. The outer shell 110 is permanently orremovably attached to the inner shell 120. In accordance with anembodiment of the present invention, there are no handles attached to orintegrated into any portion of the cooling container assembly.

FIG. 4 illustrates several exemplary lidded configurations of the firstembodiment of FIG. 2, in accordance with various aspects of the presentinvention. The lid 150 may be very shallow or significantly concave, forexample. The lid 150 may be snapped onto the food container 140, andthen subsequently removed.

FIG. 5 illustrates the nested configuration of the second exemplaryembodiment 200 of a cooling container of FIG. 1, in accordance withvarious aspects of the present invention. The second embodiment 200 issimilar in construction to the first embodiment 100 except that thesecond embodiment 200 is of a much shallower and flatter shape,constituting a platter-like or plate-like container assembly 200. Thecontainer assembly 200 comprises an outer insulating shell 210 (e.g., aninsulating plastic shell) which is attached to an inner thermallyconductive shell 220 (e.g., an aluminum shell that fits, in a nestedmanner, within the plastic shell 210 and is permanently or removablyattached thereto). There may be an insulating layer of air, for example,or a vacuum between the outer plastic shell 210 and the inner shell 220.Some other insulating material may be configured between the outer shell210 and the inner shell 220 instead, in accordance with an alternativeembodiment of the present invention.

The inner shell 220 includes a recessed volume to accept a chilled orfrozen cold disk 230. Again, the cold disk 230 may comprise, forexample, frozen water permanently encapsulated in a disk-shaped plastic,a soft gel pack permanently fitted into an aluminum casing, for example,or any other encapsulated material that may be chilled, frozen, oractivated. The cold disk 230 fits into and rests within the recessedvolume such that the cold disk 230 makes thermally conductive contactwith the inner shell 220. As a result, cold is conducted up the walls ofthe inner aluminum shell 220. The cold disk 230 is easily removable fromthe inner shell 220 either by tipping the inner shell 220 (and connectedouter shell 210) upside down, or by using ones fingers to insert intonotches in the sides or top of the cold disk 230 and pulling the colddisk out of the recessed volume. Again, the notches may be in the innershell 220 adjacent to the cold disk 230. As a result, the cold disk 230may be removed from the assembly 200 and placed in a freezer forfreezing.

The assembly 200 further includes a removable inner platter or foodcontainer 240 made out of, for example, stainless steel for holdingfood. The platter 240 fits into the inner shell 220 in a nested mannerwithout forming a seal between the platter 240 and the inner shell 220.As a result, the food is kept cool by at least the thermally conductiveinner shell 220 which is in thermal contact with the cold disk 230. Itis desirable to cool the food to a desired temperature (e.g., in arefrigerator) before placing the food in the assembly 200.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary un-lidded configuration and twoexemplary lidded configurations of the second embodiment 200 of FIG. 5,in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. Theassembly 200 further includes a removable insulating lid (e.g., plasticlid) 250 which fits over top of the platter 240 and snaps onto theplatter 240. The lid may not be a double-walled structure with aninsulating air-gap or vacuum gap in between. Again, the lid 250 may berelatively flat or more concave in shape.

FIG. 7 illustrates the nested configuration of the third exemplaryembodiment 300 of a cooling container of FIG. 1, in accordance withvarious aspects of the present invention. The third embodiment 300 isessentially the same as the second embodiment 200 (and very similar tothe first embodiment 100) except that the platter 240 is replaced with aremovable sectioned or compartmentalized vegetable plate 340 to form thecontainer assembly 300. The plate 340 includes dividers or walls 341 toallow, for example, vegetables or other food items to be kept separatedfrom each other within the plate 340. Again, the container assembly 300may further include a removable insulating (e.g., plastic) lid 250 thatfits over top of the plate 340 and snaps onto the plate 340. Again, thelid 250 may not be a double-walled structure with an insulating air-gapor vacuum in between the walls. Also, there are no handles designed intothe assembly 300.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary un-lidded configuration and an exemplarylidded configuration of the third embodiment 300 of FIG. 7, inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention. In accordancewith various embodiments of the present invention, the outer insulatingshells 110 and 210 may comprise a colored, transparent plastic (e.g., ablue transparent plastic) such that the respective inner metal shells120 and 220 may be observed through the shells 110 and 210. Such afeature provides a desirable aesthetic look to the cooling containerassembly.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method 900 of assemblingany of the various cooling container assembly embodiments shown in FIGS.1-8, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. Instep 910, a thermally-conductive inner shell is nested into athermally-insulating outer shell. In step 920, a removable cold disk isplaced into a recessed volume at a bottom portion of the inner shell. Instep 930, a removable food container is nested into the inner shell overthe cold disk. In step 940, a removable lid is snapped onto theremovable food container, wherein the lid is not a double-walledstructure with an insulating air gap or a vacuum gap therebetween (i.e.,between the two walls of the double-walled structure).

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method 1000 of keepingfood cool using any of the various cooling container assemblyembodiments shown in FIGS. 1-8, in accordance with various aspects ofthe present invention. In step 1010, a removable cold disk is chilled(reduced in temperature, e.g., in a freezer), frozen (reduced intemperature to at least the point where a liquid material or gelmaterial within the cold disk transitions to a solid material state), oractivated (e.g., shaken or squeezed). In step 1020, food is placed intoa removable food container and the food is chilled in the removable foodcontainer (e.g., in a refrigerator). In step 1030, the chilled or frozencold disk is placed into a recessed volume at a bottom portion of athermally-conductive inner shell that is nested into athermally-insulating outer shell. In step 1040, the chilled foodcontainer, containing the chilled food, is nested into the inner shell.In step 1050, a removable lid is snapped onto the removable foodcontainer, wherein the lid is not a double-walled structure with aninsulating air gap or vacuum gap therebetween.

In accordance with various alternative embodiments of the presentinvention, the food could be chilled by itself (e.g., in arefrigerator), without being in the removable food container when beingchilled. The food container may or may not be separately chilled. Also,the inner shell (with or without the outer shell) could be chilledbefore assembling the cooling container assembly for use. Furthermore,the nested combination of the outer shell, the inner shell, and the foodcontainer could be chilled before placing the cold disk in the recessedvolume of the inner shell and before placing food in the food container.Other methods of pre-chilling various elements of the cooling containerassembly may be possible as well.

FIG. 11 is a graph 1100 illustrating the cool-preserving capability ofthe embodiment 200 of FIG. 5 without a lid, in accordance with variousaspects of the present invention. Two amounts of applesauce (80 oz.each) were pre-chilled to about 43 degrees F (point 1101) and placed intwo separate food containers 240 of the assembly 200. The applesauce inthe containers was about 1 inch deep. The first food container 240served as a control and was left out to sit on a glass table, without alid, over a period of time at ambient temperature (about 76 to 79degrees F.), (see plot 1110). The second food container 240 was nestedinto the inner shell 220 (which is attached to the insulating outershell 210) with a pre-frozen cold disk in the recessed volume of theinner shell, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.The second food container 240 was left out to sit on a glass table, alsowithout a lid, over the same period of time at the same ambienttemperature (see plot 1110) as the first food container 240. Temperaturemeasurements were taken at three different points within the applesaucefor the first food container (plots 1121-1123) and the second foodcontainer (plots 1131-1133).

Temperatures at a first point “B” (plots 1121 and 1131) were measuredabout a half inch down within the applesauce over the cold disk.Temperatures at a second point “F” (plots 1122 and 1132) were measuredabout a half inch down within the applesauce about half way between thecenter of the food container 240 and the rim of the food container 240.Temperatures at a third point “H” (plots 1123 and 1133) were measurednear the rim of the food container 240 about a half inch down within theapplesauce.

As can be seen from the graph 1100, a significant temperature gap 1140develops between the applesauce in the first food container and theapplesauce in the second food container of the present invention. Thetemperature gap 1140 illustrates the cool-preserving capability of theassembly 200 when in the nested configuration with the cold disk 230compared to not being in the nested configuration with the cold disk.Again, neither the first nor the second food containers 240 had a lidduring these measurements.

FIG. 12 is the graph 1100 of FIG. 11 with the additional cool-preservingcapability (plot 1150) shown when a lid is provided, in accordance withvarious aspects of the present invention. The point “F” was measured fortemperature over time once again. The ambient temperature (plot 1111)was a couple of degrees higher during these measurements than during theprevious measurements, however, and the starting pre-chilled temperature1102 of the applesauce was about 41 degrees F. instead of 43 degrees F.as before. Ignoring these differences, having the lid allowed thetemperature at point “F” to remain about 6 degrees cooler (e.g., seepoint 1151) over time than without the lid (e.g., see point 1152). Also,having the lid and the cold disk in the nested configuration allows thetemperature at point “F” to remain about 15 degrees cooler (e.g., seepoint 1151) after more than two hours compared to having the foodsitting in an open bowl with no cold disk or nested configuration (seepoint 1153).

In summary, embodiments of the present invention provide a passivecooling container assembly comprising a nested structure of an outershell, an inner shell, a cold disk, a food container, and, optionally, alid which allows food to remain cooler longer.

While the invention has been described with reference to certainembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. In addition, manymodifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material tothe teachings of the invention without departing from its scope.Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to theparticular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will includeall embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A cooling container assembly, said assembly comprising: athermally-insulating outer shell; a thermally-conductive inner shellconfigured to nest within said outer shell, said inner shell having arecessed volume at a bottom portion of said inner shell; a removablecold disk configured to rest within said recessed volume of said innershell, said cold disk comprising a chillable, freezable, or activatablematerial; and a removable food container configured to nest within saidinner shell.
 2. The cooling container assembly of claim 1 wherein saidremovable food container includes a rim circumscribing an upper edge ofsaid removable food container.
 3. The cooling container assembly ofclaim 2 further comprising a lid capable of being snapped onto said rimof said removable food container, wherein said lid is not adouble-walled structure with an insulating air gap or vacuum gaptherebetween.
 4. The cooling container assembly of claim 1 wherein thereare no handles attached to or integrated into any portion of saidassembly.
 5. The cooling container assembly of claim 1 furthercomprising at least one volume of gas between at least one portion ofsaid thermally-insulating outer shell and at least one portion of saidthermally-conductive inner shell.
 6. The cooling container assembly ofclaim 1 further comprising at least one vacuum gap between at least oneportion of said thermally-insulating outer shell and at least oneportion of said thermally-conductive inner shell.
 7. The coolingcontainer assembly of claim 1 wherein said chillable, freezable, oractivatable material of said cold disk includes at least one of water, agel material, a liquid material, a solid material, a semi-solidmaterial, and an alcohol-based liquid.
 8. The cooling container assemblyof claim 1 wherein said removable cold disk further comprises a casingpermanently encapsulating said chillable, freezable, or activatablematerial.
 9. The cooling container assembly of claim 8 wherein saidcasing of said cold disk comprises at least one of a plastic materialand an aluminum material.
 10. The cooling container assembly of claim 1wherein said thermally-insulating outer shell comprises athermally-insulating plastic material.
 11. The cooling containerassembly of claim 1 wherein said thermally-insulating outer shell isopaque.
 12. The cooling container assembly of claim 1 wherein saidthermally-insulating outer shell is at least partially transparent. 13.The cooling container assembly of claim 1 wherein saidthermally-conductive inner shell comprises an aluminum material.
 14. Thecooling container assembly of claim 1 wherein said removable foodcontainer comprises a stainless steel material.
 15. The coolingcontainer assembly of claim 1 wherein said thermally-conductive innershell is permanently affixed to said thermally-insulating outer shell.16. The cooling container assembly of claim 1 wherein saidthermally-conductive inner shell is removable from saidthermally-insulating outer shell.
 17. A method of assembling a coolingcontainer, said method comprising: nesting a thermally-conductive innershell into a thermally-insulating outer shell; placing a removable colddisk into a recessed volume at a bottom portion of said inner shell; andnesting a removable food container into said inner shell over said colddisk.
 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising snapping a removablelid onto said removable food container, wherein said lid is not adouble-walled structure with an insulating air gap or vacuum gaptherebetween.
 19. A method of keeping food cool, said method comprising:chilling, freezing, or activating a removable cold disk; placing saidfood into a removable food container and chilling said food in saidremovable food container; placing said cold disk into a recessed volumeat a bottom portion of a thermally-conductive inner shell that is nestedinto a thermally-insulating outer shell; and nesting said chilled foodcontainer, containing said chilled food, into said inner shell.
 20. Themethod of claim 19 further comprising snapping a removable lid onto saidremovable food container, wherein said lid is not a double-walledstructure with an insulating air gap or vacuum gap therebetween.